Gagne not happy with Flyers (article)

[Leach27]

http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/hockey/201309/12/01-4688576-simon-gagne-comme-une-claque-au-visage.php

 

 

english translation

 

 

arely four years ago, Simon Gagné was scoring 34 goals and was considered one of the most talented forwards of the NHL. Today, 33-year-old Gagné is in Quebec City, waiting for a club to give him a chance to return.

“All summer, the Philadelphia Flyers kept hinting that they wanted to offer me a new contract and I even told Robert Sauvé, my agent, not to negotiate with other teams,” said Gagné. “We trusted them. We put all our eggs in one basket and we got caught. We never thought we’d be stuck in this situation at this time of the year…”

Gagné kept hoping to return with the Flyers up until recently. “When I heard [Tuesday] that they had given a contract to Dan Cleary, it was like a slap in the face. I’m disappointed. I knew that hockey was a business, but with all the positive discussions we had with the GM Paul Holmgren, I can’t believe I’m not back with them.”

The Québecker admits that the last few years weren’t easy. He didn’t play more than 63 games in a season since 2009. On the other hand, he participated in 38 of the 48 games last year.

“I understand that the GMs are being careful because I didn’t play a lot two years ago after my concussion and my neck surgery, but I’m healthy right now and I feel great on the ice when I train with the (Quebec) Remparts. I really had a good summer training regimen and it’s a shame because I feel much better than I did in the last few years; it’s been a while since I’ve wanted to train like that. I’m 33, I’ve got good hockey to give.”

Gagné says he found his passion for hockey once again after the trade that sent him from the Los Angeles Kings to the Flyers last February.

“I finished the season with a bang with Philadelphia during the last 12 games of the season. I played on the first line with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. I finally found players who I could make plays with. It wasn’t as easy to get motivated in Los Angeles, where I played on the fourth line with teammates whose roles were to dump the puck in the opponent’s zone. I wasn’t having fun playing in Los Angeles, when I didn’t play on the fourth line, I’d be in the press-box questioning myself.”

Gagné collected 8 points in his last 13 games. He rarely played less than 18 minutes each game, sometimes even 20.

“I’m only 33, but I have a lot of experience, and that counts for something. I always achieved what was asked of me during the playoffs, that’s when the veterans can really shine through. I can help a team.”

The 6’1, 194 pounds forward would obviously prefer to have a signed contract in his possession before showing up at a training camp, but he seems ready to show up for tryouts, just like Ryan Whitney, Guillaume Lantendresse and Hal Gill. He wouldn’t say no to the Canadiens.

“I want to be on the ice. If the Canadiens are interested, we’re going to listen, of course. It’s a club that seemed interested at the beginning of the off-season, but the team seemed well-balanced at the time. Has the situation changed?”

Robert Sauvé says there are frequent discussions with some NHL General Managers about his client.

“We talk to teams every day. Right now, the clubs are very interested in their youth, but that can change during the training camp according to their young ones’ performances.

Sauvé is more or less surprised to see as many jobless veterans.

“The salary cap changes everything. A lot of teams are already over the cap and the ones that still have space are waiting to see what the first group will do for some deals. That’s what is slowing down the whole process.”

More developments to come.

[jammer2]

@Leach27  Was just about to post this Travis Hughes story about the very same thing. There is now no doubt, the Flyers *really* yanked Gagne's chain, and treated him horribly. They even went so far as to tell Gagne to not negotiate with other teams. If Hextall did indeed bring some insight into the down side of signing Gagne, why not do the honorable thing and tell him they are no longer interested? 

 

 I've often said, I'm not the biggest Gagne fan, just a bit to soft for my liking, but the way he was treated is deplorable. I now am firm in my belief that the Flyers are not a family, and the team I cheer for not only lacks loyalty and character, they are a bunch of backstabbing weasels. I won't forget about this any time soon.

 

 My working theory is the Flyers were never high on bringing back Simon, but wanted to make sure they had a emergency fall back option if they encounter a rash of injuries etc. Very, very weasely. I'm ashamed of this management group, and look forward to the day they are not running things. All this from someone who respected Gags, but was never a huge fan. The posters that were huge fans, should be justifiably outraged. 

 

 http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/9/13/4728244/simon-gagne-flyers-2013

[jammer2]

  I'm very interested in how the Flyers beat writers report this story. Travis for example, at least mentioned his disappointment in the Flyers, but included the very smart out clause about the existence of both sides of the story. It's sticky ground to tread on, cause if you come out guns a blazing, you could lose access to the team, or face a lot of Flyers that have been instructed to ignore you. It becomes a conundrum of doing the right thing, or saving your job. Most people, especially one's with families will choose the latter.

[radoran]

He has a very valid point about his production at the end of the season.

 

5 goals 11 assists 16 points in the last ten, only five on special teams.

 

It's always "family" for the Flyers until "hockey is just business." Some people get over it - Bill Barber comes to mind. But it may be a looong time before we see #12 at any alumni events.

[pilldoc]

one word----> disappointed.

 

I can feel for Gagne.  I understand business is business, but IMO I agree with @jammer2, the Flyers really led Gagne on.  Not fair for him and not fair for the rest of the teams in the NHL who might have made a reasonable offer.  I am a Gagne supporter, but IMO I thought he has lost a step or two.  After missing so many games with concussion like syndromes I just feel one more hit and his career is over.  I guess I just don't want the Flyers to take that type of chance.  ( I could be wrong) I am disappointed by the way this who Cleary / Gagne stuff has turned out and I am dissappointed that the Flyers brass was not more forthright.

[brelic]

First Jagr and now Gagne. With Jagr it's a little more understandable.

But with Gagne you'd figure there'd be a little more loyalty especially after the way they unceremoniously shipped him out of town for peanuts.

Ironic that they ignore Gagne and go after Cleary who really wanted to be in Detroit. They stepped up and showed some loyalty in return. And what do we do? Officially close the door on Gagne.

Pretty slimy.

[flyerrod]

It just flat pisses me off when I see almost anyone treated as Gagne was. I realize the Flyers have limited options and the whole Cleary thing just baffled me. I am inclined to believe Homer when he said that no such deal was in place(with Cleary) but the whole thing stinks. Gagne is a versatile player who could play on any line and he is going to be a damn good addition for some team. I just wish it was the Flyers.........  

[radoran]

Why did they wait until now to "officially close the door" on Gagne?

 

Or was it the act of signing Cleary a signal for all concerned?

 

I don't particularly care that Gagne isn't playing here, but this is the sort of thing that can haunt a franchise that has already shown extremely crass treatment to three players they signed to be the foundations of the franchise (Richards, Crater, Bryzgalov) in recent years. They also signed Hartnell and Simmonds to long term deals and immediately tried to give them a 20% haircut.

 

Hockey is a business, fine. Nothing wrong with that. Feel the same way. But people do pay attention to how you do business.

[canoli]

Wow - guess you were right on the money with this one Jammer...damn... I never imagined it was this bad...now we read quotes from Gagne saying “All summer, the Philadelphia Flyers kept hinting that they wanted to offer me a new contract..."

 

This is ugly.

[mojo1917]

I'm glad I don't have to do business with the Flyers.

[Leach27]

@Leach27  Was just about to post this Travis Hughes story about the very same thing. There is now no doubt, the Flyers *really* yanked Gagne's chain, and treated him horribly. They even went so far as to tell Gagne to not negotiate with other teams. If Hextall did indeed bring some insight into the down side of signing Gagne, why not do the honorable thing and tell him they are no longer interested? 

 

 I've often said, I'm not the biggest Gagne fan, just a bit to soft for my liking, but the way he was treated is deplorable. I now am firm in my belief that the Flyers are not a family, and the team I cheer for not only lacks loyalty and character, they are a bunch of backstabbing weasels. I won't forget about this any time soon.

 

 My working theory is the Flyers were never high on bringing back Simon, but wanted to make sure they had a emergency fall back option if they encounter a rash of injuries etc. Very, very weasely. I'm ashamed of this management group, and look forward to the day they are not running things. All this from someone who respected Gags, but was never a huge fan. The posters that were huge fans, should be justifiably outraged. 

 

 http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/9/13/4728244/simon-gagne-flyers-2013

 

@jammer2

 

I agree 100%. How can holmgren say he admires cleary for his loyalty, but he shows no loyalty to Gagne at all?? Who knows he could find himself out of a job with hexy taking over. Karma is like that.

[jammer2]

@Leach27  How many years have we been fed this non-stop babble about "we are a family" and "we take care of our own"....what a load of crap!!!  I'm still seething mad about this!!  How can we trust *anything* this management group says from now on??  This was just as dirty as it gets. I'm ashamed to have these bunch of weasels associated with the team I love.

 

 Watch these weasels feel the backlash from the fan base and try to explain themselves. This should be good for a laugh.

[Leach27]

@Leach27  How many years have we been fed this non-stop babble about "we are a family" and "we take care of our own"....what a load of crap!!!  I'm still seething mad about this!!  How can we trust *anything* this management group says from now on??  This was just as dirty as it gets. I'm ashamed to have these bunch of weasels associated with the team I love.

 

 Watch these weasels feel the backlash from the fan base and try to explain themselves. This should be good for a laugh.

 

@jammer2

 

It is a load of b.s. Every hockey forum I have been to the fans are pissed off about gagne. I don't any player should take managements word about anything, as they have very little credibility. We drafted gagne, if he is not one of our own, then who is?? Snider said today that neither homer or lavy was on the hotseat, I think that should give them every reason to believe there jobs are in jeopardy.

[brelic]

Surprise surprise, there's not a single story about Gagne on CSNPhilly or Philly.com

 

Anyone who thinks the Flyers are a classy organization can just stop the delusion. Lindros, Richards, Carter, Bryz, Gagne, Briere.

 

The painfully sad thing is that the Flyers showed more loyalty to Michael Effing Leighton than Simon Gagne.

 

A classy organization would have told Gagne to look elsewhere when FA started.

[flyercanuck]

Promising Carter he wouldn't be traded, then trading him was bs. Carter can take part of the blame because of his actions. I'd like to think there was more than a few discussions about correcting his ways before Holmgren felt he had to trade for the betterment of the franchise. Bryz was overcompensated from the getgo. I don't feel one bit of pity for him, he's laughing all the way to the bank.

 

 But Gagne has done exactly what was asked of him his entire time in Philly. He may have been "soft" but he also played an excellent two way game. He waived his NTC (I believe) when asked to for the team he obviously loves. If Flyer management told him they were going to sign him and left him with nowhere to go this late in the year they should all be ashamed of themselves. I used to think this was one of THE top franchises in all sports for places that players wanted to play for. The way it's been run recently really has me questioning that way of thinking.

[Leach27]

Surprise surprise, there's not a single story about Gagne on CSNPhilly or Philly.com

 

Anyone who thinks the Flyers are a classy organization can just stop the delusion. Lindros, Richards, Carter, Bryz, Gagne, Briere.

 

The painfully sad thing is that the Flyers showed more loyalty to Michael Effing Leighton than Simon Gagne.

 

A classy organization would have told Gagne to look elsewhere when FA started.

 

add Roger Neilson to the list

[Habsterix]

No matter who the player is, I find very unfortunate to see a player who has spent most of his career with one team get treated like this. It's one thing if you don't lead him on and tell him to negociate elsewhere but to contact you before signing, but it's obviously not the case. Very unfortunate...

[ruxpin]

Cry me a river. If Gagne was not signed and told his agent not to work on any plan Bs, that's not loyalty; that's utter stupidity. I'm sorry, but this is planet earth. If it's not in writing it doesn't exist. If you're 33 years old and don't know to protect yourself, give yourself some leverage, and make sure you have an alternative, then I'm sorry but you have no one to blame but yourself.

Yes it sounds like lack of good faith on the flyers' end. But why does this surprise anyone? Not just from the Flyers but from owners in general. Did we not just go through as lockout where owners pulled back stuff they'd SIGNED? I mean really.

If you're hanging your hat on good faith and doing nothing to make sure you have an option if things don't go well...if you don't set yourself with an "action" deadline, then you're a damn moron.

[radoran]

Cry me a river. If Gagne was not signed and told his agent not to work on any plan Bs, that's not loyalty; that's utter stupidity. I'm sorry, but this is planet earth. If it's not in writing it doesn't exist. If you're 33 years old and don't know to protect yourself, give yourself some leverage, and make sure you have an alternative, then I'm sorry but you have no one to blame but yourself.

Yes it sounds like lack of good faith on the flyers' end. But why does this surprise anyone? Not just from the Flyers but from owners in general. Did we not just go through as lockout where owners pulled back stuff they'd SIGNED? I mean really.

If you're hanging your hat on good faith and doing nothing to make sure you have an option if things don't go well...if you don't set yourself with an "action" deadline, then you're a damn moron.

 

It doesn't surprise me at all.

 

As the list Brelic provided earlier attests.

 

Again, you're "part of the family" until you're not.

 

There are just fewer horse heads in beds...

[hf101]

I might as well agree with every post on this thread.  

 

Holmgren's quote this week pretty much says it all   "There are no Promises" 

 

All players beware.

 

If you have some spare cash..... $3.9M ....... Gagne's home in Quebec is for sale.

http://25stanley.com/simon-gagne-vend-sa-maison-de-3-9m-du-lac-beauport.html

[brelic]

Cry me a river. If Gagne was not signed and told his agent not to work on any plan Bs, that's not loyalty; that's utter stupidity. I'm sorry, but this is planet earth. If it's not in writing it doesn't exist. If you're 33 years old and don't know to protect yourself, give yourself some leverage, and make sure you have an alternative, then I'm sorry but you have no one to blame but yourself.

Yes it sounds like lack of good faith on the flyers' end. But why does this surprise anyone? Not just from the Flyers but from owners in general. Did we not just go through as lockout where owners pulled back stuff they'd SIGNED? I mean really.

If you're hanging your hat on good faith and doing nothing to make sure you have an option if things don't go well...if you don't set yourself with an "action" deadline, then you're a damn moron.

 

It's not about Gagne having a plan B or not; protecting himself or not. It's about what many thought was a classy organization is not. The mantra that "they take care of their own" is just a self-serving platitude. 

 

And it affects the way I see the Flyers. No, it won't make me stop being a fan of the players on the ice... but I certainly lost some respect for the puppet masters.

[ruxpin]

It's about what many thought was a classy organization is not. The mantra that "they take care of their own" is just a self-serving platitude.

 

I guess that's the question.  You yourself posted a list that goes back at least 15 years.   Who the hell honestly thought this was a "classy" organization?   There's nothing classy about either it or the NHL in general.   "We are Family" is the most ridiculous phrase I've heard and wasn't even applicable to the Pirates.  Here's a hint:  unless there's actual blood relation and no money involved YOU'RE NEVER FAMILY.

 

It's a business.  The owners have screamed that from the mountain tops and have made it abundantly clear.   Why a player, any player, would take a wink "yeah we kind of want to sign you, don't talk to anyone else" and then NOT talk to anyone else is naivety taken to such absurd levels that makes you ask, "I know he had his head hit, but exactly how hard??"

 

"Hi agent, this is Simone.   Holmgren says he wants to sign me but to wait and not talk to anyone.  Measure interest but don't reach actual talks.  If we have nothing by X date, get serious."

 

They were not signing Gagne to any contract of any amount or any duration when they signed VL.  It was fairly clear he was at best a fall back if they had a repeat of last summer's signing disasters.  It's ABSOLUTELY about Gagne not having a plan B and protecting himself.  Of course it is.  What else would it be about?

 

If you're just learning that this is a business and that this organization should not be taken at its word, you clearly haven't been paying attention.  This is not news.  Even you posted a list dating back 15 years so you can't pretend YOU didn't know.

 

It's about Gagne not having a plan B and protecting himself because that's the ONLY new information we learned from all of this.  And that's that GAGNE IS A NAIVE IDIOT that got burned for being a naive idiot.

[brelic]

They were not signing Gagne to any contract of any amount or any duration when they signed VL.  It was fairly clear he was at best a fall back if they had a repeat of last summer's signing disasters.  It's ABSOLUTELY about Gagne not having a plan B and protecting himself.  Of course it is.  What else would it be about?

 

Let's assume that Gagne had a plan B, and is now a proud Montreal Canadien. It doesn't change the fact that what the Flyers did was more than a little disingenuous. We can debate the stupidity on Gagne's agent's part for not having a plan B, but that's beside the point, at least IMHO.

 

Now, if Gagne signs with the Habs, he might not come out in the media the way he did.. but I'm sure in the course of being interviewed by the Habs beat reporters, he'd at least allude to being strung along.

 

If you're just learning that this is a business and that this organization should not be taken at its word, you clearly haven't been paying attention.  This is not news.  Even you posted a list dating back 15 years so you can't pretend YOU didn't know.

 

I know this is a business, and I'm not naive enough to think the Flyers should have signed Gagne after the Cleary thing fell through just to save face or to honour their word. I think they shouldn't have offered that in the first place. A classy organization would have let a player with Gagne's pedigree know that they were going in a different direction. In both cases, the Flyers end up without Gagne. But in one of those cases, the organization looks a little less ruthless.

 

Put it this way, the Flyers will still sign very good players, and will keep on keepin' on. But maybe, just maybe, that kind of 'reputation' is what prevents them from getting guys like Parise, Suter. That's total conjecture, and I have no idea if it has an effect. But speaking from personal experience, I have refused jobs because of the employer's reputation. I'm sure it's not unique to the world outside of professional sports.

 

"We are Family" is the most ridiculous phrase I've heard and wasn't even applicable to the Pirates.  Here's a hint:  unless there's actual blood relation and no money involved YOU'RE NEVER FAMILY.

 

Yeah, I'm not from Philly, so I just know of that whole mentality by living vicariously through you guys, lol. Maybe it isn't and never was true. 

 

I still really believe that a culture change is inevitable after Snider is gone.

[ruxpin]

@brelic

 

 

I think maybe we're talking past each other a bit here because I don't see where what you said addresses what I was saying.

 

I've acknowledged that the Flyers aren't classy.  In your most recent post you wrote "more than a little disingenuous."  No kidding. I'm not arguing that point.  At all.  In my last post, when I wrote "if 'you' thought that they weren't..." I meant "you" to be in the third person.  Again, YOU (2nd person) put the list going back 15 years.  That would indicate YOU (2nd person again) clearly knew.

 

My sole point is that Gagne's whining is a bit disingenuous and flat out indicates stupidity on his part.  OF COURSE it's a business.  OF COURSE the Flyers have a nearly 2 decade-long history of screwing people.   For Gagne to take a wink-wink, nudge-nudge deal without writing with Paul Holmgren or Ed Snider and do NOTHING to protect himself or to keep his options open is the definition of stupid.  And then to whine about it after the fact compounds the stupidity and makes it public for the world to see exactly how stupid he is.

 

I don't feel bad for him.  He should have operated as if he had the slightest clue about how this world works.   Maybe he should get an agent who isn't such a novice.   If I feel bad for him at all it's because he was a good hockey player who no one now wants because of injury and diminished skills.  That part isn't his fault and there's room to feel bad.  I don't feel bad about his being utterly clueless, however.

 

I feel bad for the folks who came suddenly to some epiphany that this is the way the Flyers operate.  I just wonder what the hell those people were watching the last 15 years or so and what planet they think they're on.  As a public service message to those folks I will say this:  YOUR employer, despite their protestations and yours, would screw you in exactly the same way if it served their bottom line or business interests to do so.  Make sure you have a fall-back position or a plan B.

[pilldoc]

I might as well agree with every post on this thread.  

 

Holmgren's quote this week pretty much says it all   "There are no Promises" 

 

All players beware.

 

If you have some spare cash..... $3.9M ....... Gagne's home in Quebec is for sale.

http://25stanley.com/simon-gagne-vend-sa-maison-de-3-9m-du-lac-beauport.html

 

 

Here is the English translation:  (Beautiful home!)

 

Simon Gagne is a trending topic on 25stanley today. A second blog post on it a few hours. This time, it's not a rumor about her and the Canadian.

New trend among NHL players who seek a contract to sell his house luxeuse. Earlier this week, we learned that the keeper Rick Dipietro trying to get rid of his Long Island home. Here today, we discover that Simon Gagne has also put its house in Lac Beauport Quebec market.

As read in the description of sale, luxury residence is absolutely remarkable for its uniqueness! This modern castle spreads over nearly a hundred feet wide, built on three floors. Nearly 10 000pc living space with 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, gym, home theater, wine cellar and triple garage. There was more grandiose on the market!

Simon Gagne will surely provide a signed jersey or stick to the purchaser of this perfect place for a party of the Stanley Cup 3 950 000 USD. If I had a salary from the NHL, it is certain that I spoil with this crib!

Thank you for the password to C on the pallet